Covasna County (, hu, Kovászna megye, ) is a county (
județ) of
Romania
Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern, and Southeast Europe, Southeastern Europe. It borders Bulgaria to the south, Ukraine to the north, Hungary to the west, S ...
, in eastern
Transylvania
Transylvania ( ro, Ardeal or ; hu, Erdély; german: Siebenbürgen) is a historical and cultural region in Central Europe, encompassing central Romania. To the east and south its natural border is the Carpathian Mountains, and to the west the Ap ...
, with the county seat at
Sfântu Gheorghe
Sfântu Gheorghe (; hu, Sepsiszentgyörgy or ''Szentgyörgy'' ; yi, סנט דזשארדזש; English lit.: ''Saint George'') is the capital city of Covasna County, Romania. Located in the central part of the country and in the historical regio ...
.
Demographics
In 2011, it had a population of 210,177, making it the second least populous of Romania's 41 counties and the population density was .
In 2002 the ethnic composition of the county was as follows:
*
Hungarians
Hungarians, also known as Magyars ( ; hu, magyarok ), are a nation and ethnic group native to Hungary () and historical Hungarian lands who share a common culture, history, ancestry, and language. The Hungarian language belongs to the Urali ...
– 73.58% (or 164,158)
*
Romanians
The Romanians ( ro, români, ; dated exonym ''Vlachs'') are a Romance languages, Romance-speaking ethnic group. Sharing a common Culture of Romania, Romanian culture and Cultural heritage, ancestry, and speaking the Romanian language, they l ...
– 23.28% (or 51,790)
*
Romani
Romani may refer to:
Ethnicities
* Romani people, an ethnic group of Northern Indian origin, living dispersed in Europe, the Americas and Asia
** Romani genocide, under Nazi rule
* Romani language, any of several Indo-Aryan languages of the Roma ...
– 2.68% (or 5,973)
According to the 2011 census, the composition of the county was:
*
Hungarians
Hungarians, also known as Magyars ( ; hu, magyarok ), are a nation and ethnic group native to Hungary () and historical Hungarian lands who share a common culture, history, ancestry, and language. The Hungarian language belongs to the Urali ...
– 73.74% (or 150,468)
*
Romanians
The Romanians ( ro, români, ; dated exonym ''Vlachs'') are a Romance languages, Romance-speaking ethnic group. Sharing a common Culture of Romania, Romanian culture and Cultural heritage, ancestry, and speaking the Romanian language, they l ...
– 22.02% (or 45,021)
*
Romani
Romani may refer to:
Ethnicities
* Romani people, an ethnic group of Northern Indian origin, living dispersed in Europe, the Americas and Asia
** Romani genocide, under Nazi rule
* Romani language, any of several Indo-Aryan languages of the Roma ...
– 4.05% (or 8,267)
*
Others - 0.19%
Covasna County has the second-greatest percentage of
Hungarian population in
Romania
Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern, and Southeast Europe, Southeastern Europe. It borders Bulgaria to the south, Ukraine to the north, Hungary to the west, S ...
, just behind the neighboring county of
Harghita
Harghita (, hu, Hargita megye, ) is a county ( județ) in the center of Romania, in eastern Transylvania, with the county seat at Miercurea Ciuc.
Demographics 2002 census
In 2002, Harghita County had a population of 326,222 and a populatio ...
. The
Hungarians
Hungarians, also known as Magyars ( ; hu, magyarok ), are a nation and ethnic group native to Hungary () and historical Hungarian lands who share a common culture, history, ancestry, and language. The Hungarian language belongs to the Urali ...
of Covasna are primarily
Székelys
The Székelys (, Székely runes: 𐳥𐳋𐳓𐳉𐳗), also referred to as Szeklers,; ro, secui; german: Szekler; la, Siculi; sr, Секељи, Sekelji; sk, Sikuli are a Hungarian subgroup living mostly in the Székely Land in Romania. ...
.
Geography
Covasna county has a total area of .
The main part of the relief consists of mountains from the
Eastern Carpathians
Divisions of the Carpathians are a categorization of the Carpathian mountains system.
Below is a detailed overview of the major subdivisions and ranges of the Carpathian Mountains. The Carpathians are a "subsystem" of a bigger Alps-Himalaya Sy ...
group. Most localities can be found in the valleys and depressions located along the different rivers crossing the county. The main river is the
Olt River
The Olt (Romanian and Hungarian; german: Alt; la, Aluta or ', tr, Oltu, grc, Ἄλυτος ''Alytos'') is a river in Romania. It is long, and its basin area is . It is the longest river flowing exclusively through Romania. Its average discha ...
; along its banks lies the capital city
Sfântu Gheorghe
Sfântu Gheorghe (; hu, Sepsiszentgyörgy or ''Szentgyörgy'' ; yi, סנט דזשארדזש; English lit.: ''Saint George'') is the capital city of Covasna County, Romania. Located in the central part of the country and in the historical regio ...
.
Neighbours
*
Vrancea County
Vrancea () is a county ( județ) in Romania, with its seat at Focșani. It is mostly in the historical region of Moldavia but the southern part, below the Milcov River, is in Muntenia.
Demographics
In 2011, it had a population of 340,310 and ...
and
Bacău County
Bacău County () is a county ( județ) of Romania, in Western Moldavia, with its capital city at Bacău. It has one commune, Ghimeș-Făget, in Transylvania.
Geography
This county has a total area of .
In the western part of the county the ...
in the east
*
Brașov County
Brașov County () is a county ( județ) of Romania, in Transylvania. Its capital city is Brașov. The county incorporates within its boundaries most of the Medieval "lands" (''țări'') Burzenland and Făgăraș.
Name
In Hungarian, it is known ...
in the west
*
Harghita County
Harghita (, hu, Hargita megye, ) is a county (județ) in the center of Romania, in eastern Transylvania, with the county seat at Miercurea Ciuc.
Demographics 2002 census
In 2002, Harghita County had a population of 326,222 and a populatio ...
in the north
*
Buzău County
Buzău County () is a county (județ) of Romania, in the historical region Muntenia, with the capital city at Buzău.
Demographics
In 2011, it had a population of 432,054 and the population density was 70.7/km2.
* Romanians – 97%
* Roma ...
in the south
Economy
Covasna County's industry's main sectors are food industry (33.79%), ready-made garment and textile (21.93%), wood and wooden products (14.98%), metals, machines and automotive suppliers (10.31%), building materials (9.68%). Other sectors of industry are chemicals (4.67%), toys (2.02%), water (1.09%), printing (0.45%), energy (0.13%), jewelry (0.05%), and other industrial activities (0.83%).
Industry represents 42.53% of Covasna County's economy. The other main sectors are trade with 30.98%, services 11.38%, agriculture 9.71%, construction 5.78%, and R&D and high-tech 2.63%.
Companies from Covasna County's industry produced in 2014 almost half a billion EUR (477 199 849 EUR) turnover, with a staggering 10.78% increase in volume compared to the preceding year's income.
One of Covasna County's main industrial sectors is the ready-made garment industry, where processing companies are owned by German investors, who started to establish first brown-field investments in 1992, and since then they operate nine factories producing yearly 5 million trousers for brands like Bosch, Meyer, Wegener. Other privately owned companies in the field of textiles, producing different articles; some of them have their own brand, while the others work in lohn systems.
In 2015 the Schweighoffer Holzindustrie started, after investing 150 million EUR in a new plant for primary
wood processing
Wood processing is an engineering discipline in the wood industry comprising the production of forest products, such as pulp and paper, construction materials, and tall oil. Paper engineering is a subfield of wood processing.
The major wood pro ...
. With the rich forested areas, Covasna has a long tradition of sawn timber export and production of furniture and other finished wooden products. Recently created the ProWood Cluster in the interest of the industry.
A few years ago automotive industry suppliers were established, with two new plants producing steering wheels and electric circuits for vehicles. The automotive industry suppliers from Covasna and neighboring Braşov are offers a vast pallet of competitive products, from boards for Mercedes cars to Airbus helicopters, while having a good potential for growth. Nevertheless, is important to mention Poliprod, the French owned family business of Champrenaut Group involved in steel work, locksmithery, welding, machining or the major producer of electric ceramic heaters in Eastern Europe, member of the Canadian Delta Group. This industry can build up its workforce with new students from the large technical university in Brasov.
Covalact is a well-known national dairy product brand, now owned by Dutch investors. Another milk processing plant is under brand Olympus, with Greek investors, establishing its headquarters in the county.
Meat processing companies are the Bertis and Toro Impex, who are regionally active players, while the Norvegian Orkla food producing network has a meat canning plant in Covasna.
Dunapack, a member of the Austrian Prizhorn, supplies corrugated cardboard boxes to almost all industry branches, from
FMCG
Fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG), also known as consumer packaged goods (CPG), are products that are sold quickly and at a relatively low cost. Examples include non-durable household goods such as packaged foods, beverages, toiletries, can ...
to fruit, vegetables, and electronics.
While IT&C as an industry sector is in emerging state, Covasna County's strategy for development plans to use this field of activity as one pillar for development. Many new start-ups are in the area successful deploying large projects for sound international companies. Many young technicians arrive from universities.
Agriculture represents 4.83% of Covasna County's economy, mainly producing varieties of potatoes, several companies being able to supply selected and packaged crops for hyper-markets. Other agricultural products are rapeseed, grains, and cabbage.
Covasna County, with many mineral water springs, has developed during history a network of spas for treating different health problems, mainly cardio-vascular. There is a good potential for development of this field of health and spa tourism.
Tourism
The main tourist destinations in the county are:
* The city of
Sfântu Gheorghe
Sfântu Gheorghe (; hu, Sepsiszentgyörgy or ''Szentgyörgy'' ; yi, סנט דזשארדזש; English lit.: ''Saint George'') is the capital city of Covasna County, Romania. Located in the central part of the country and in the historical regio ...
* The resorts in the mountains around:
**
Covasna
Covasna (, hu, Kovászna, , german: Kowasna) is a town in Covasna County, Transylvania, Romania, at an altitude of . It is known for its natural mineral waters and mofettas.
The town administers one village, Chiuruș ( hu, Csomakőrös). The ...
**
Balványos
**
Malnaș-Băi
**
Vâlcele
**
Șugaș-Băi
**
Baile Fortyogo
**
Biborțeni
Baraolt (; hu, Barót, ) is a town and administrative district in Covasna County, Romania. It lies in the Székely Land, an ethno-cultural region in eastern Transylvania. The town was mentioned for the first time as a settlement in 1224. It admi ...
**
Ozunca-Bai
* The mountains:
**
Baraolt Mountains
The Baraolt Mountains () is a mountain range, entirely in Covasna County of Romania.
Geologically the Baraolts are part of the Căliman-Harghita Mountains, of the Inner Eastern Carpathians. By traditional Romanian categorization it's include ...
**
Bodoc Mountains
**
Nemira Mountains
**
Întorsurii Mountains
Politics
The Covasna County Council, renewed at the
2020 local elections, consists of 30 counsellors, with the following party composition:
Administrative divisions
Covasna County has two municipalities, three towns and 40 communes.
*Municipalities
**
Sfântu Gheorghe
Sfântu Gheorghe (; hu, Sepsiszentgyörgy or ''Szentgyörgy'' ; yi, סנט דזשארדזש; English lit.: ''Saint George'') is the capital city of Covasna County, Romania. Located in the central part of the country and in the historical regio ...
– capital city; population: 54,312 (as of 2011)
**
Târgu Secuiesc
Târgu Secuiesc (; hu, Kézdivásárhely, ; german: Szekler Neumarkt; la, Neoforum Siculorum) is a city in Covasna County, Transylvania, Romania. It administers one village, Lunga (''Nyujtód'').
History
The town was first mentioned in 1407 a ...
*Towns
**
Baraolt
Baraolt (; hu, Barót, ) is a town and administrative district in Covasna County, Romania. It lies in the Székely Land, an ethno-cultural region in eastern Transylvania. The town was mentioned for the first time as a settlement in 1224. It adm ...
**
Covasna
Covasna (, hu, Kovászna, , german: Kowasna) is a town in Covasna County, Transylvania, Romania, at an altitude of . It is known for its natural mineral waters and mofettas.
The town administers one village, Chiuruș ( hu, Csomakőrös). The ...
**
Întorsura Buzăului
Întorsura Buzăului ( hu, Bodzaforduló ) is a town in Covasna County, Transylvania, Romania. It administers three villages: Brădet (''Bredét''), Floroaia (''Virágospatak'') and Scrădoasa.
Geography
The town is located in the southern part o ...
*Communes
**
Aita Mare
Aita Mare ( hu, Nagyajta, Hungarian pronunciation: ) is a commune in Covasna County, Transylvania, Romania composed of two villages: Aita Mare and Aita Medie (''Középajta'').
It formed part of the Székely Land region of the historical Transyl ...
**
Arcuș
Arcuș ( hu, Árkos ) is a commune in Covasna County, Transylvania, Romania. Composed of a single village, Arcuș, it became an independent commune when it split from Valea Crișului in 2004. Arcuș previously formed part of the Székely Land
...
**
Barcani
**
Bățani
**
Belin
**
Bixad
**
Bodoc
**
Boroșneu Mare
Boroșneu Mare ( ro, Boroşneu Mare; hu, Nagyborosnyó) is a commune in Covasna County, Transylvania, Romania
Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern, and Sout ...
**
Brăduț
Brăduț ( ro, Brăduț; hu, Bardóc) is a commune in Covasna County, Transylvania, Romania composed of four villages: Brăduț, Doboșeni (''Székelyszáldobos''), Filia (''Erdőfüle''), Tălișoara (''Olasztelek'').
Demographics
The commune ...
**
Brateș
Brateș ( hu, Barátos, Hungarian pronunciation: ) is a commune in Covasna County, Transylvania, Romania composed of three villages:
* Brateș
* Pachia / Páké
*Telechia / Orbaitelek
History
It formed part of the Székely Land region of the ...
**
Brețcu
**
Catalina
Catalina may refer to:
Arts and media
* ''The Catalina'', a 2012 American reality television show
* ''Catalina'' (novel), a 1948 novel by W. Somerset Maugham
* Catalina (''My Name Is Earl''), character from the NBC sitcom ''My Name Is Earl''
...
**
Cernat
**
Chichiș
Chichiș ( hu, Kökös, Hungarian pronunciation: ) is a commune in Covasna County, Transylvania, Romania, composed of two villages: Băcel (''Kökösbácstelek'') and Chichiș.
It formed part of the Székely Land region of the historical Transyl ...
**
Comandău
Comandău ( hu, Komandó, Hungarian pronunciation: ) is a commune in Covasna County, Transylvania, Romania. It is composed of a single village, Comandău.
It formed part of the Székely Land region of the historical Transylvania province.
It ser ...
**
Dalnic
Dalnic ( hu, Dálnok, Hungarian pronunciation: ) is a commune in Covasna County, Transylvania, Romania. Composed of a single village, Dalnic, it became an independent commune when it split from Moacșa in 2004.
It formed part of the Székely ...
**
Dobârlău
Dobârlău ( hu, Dobolló; german: Dobersdorf) is a commune in Covasna County, Transylvania, Romania. It is composed of four villages: Dobârlău, Lunca Mărcușului (''Bélmező''), Mărcuș (''Márkos'') and Valea Dobârlăului (''Dobollópatak' ...
**
Estelnic
**
Ghelința
Ghelința ( hu, Gelence, ; german: Gälänz) is a commune in Covasna County, Transylvania, Romania. It is composed of two villages, Ghelința and Harale (''Haraly'').
It formed part of the Székely Land, ethno-cultural region of the historical T ...
**
Ghidfalău
Ghidfalău ( hu, Gidófalva, Hungarian pronunciation: ) is a commune in Covasna County, Transylvania, Romania composed of four villages:
*Angheluș / Angyalos
*Fotoș / Fotosmartonos
*Ghidfalău / Gidófalva
*Zoltan / Érfalvazoltán
It formed p ...
**
Hăghig
Hăghig ( hu, Hídvég, Hungarian pronunciation: ) is a commune in Covasna County, Transylvania, Romania composed of two villages:
*Hăghig
*Iarăș / Nyáraspatak
Demographics
The commune has an ethnically mixed population. According to the ...
**
Ilieni
Ilieni ( hu, Illyefalva ; german: Ilgendorf) is a commune located in Covasna County, south-eastern Transylvania, Romania, 7 km south of the county seat Sfântu Gheorghe.
The commune is composed of three villages:
*Dobolii de Jos / Aldoboly ...
**
Lemnia
Lemnia ( hu, Lemhény, Hungarian pronunciation: ) is a commune in Covasna County, Transylvania, Romania. The commune is composed of a single village, Lemnia. It also included two other villages until 2004, when they were split off to form Mereni ...
**
Malnaș
Malnaș ( hu, Málnás, Hungarian pronunciation: ) is a commune in Covasna County, Transylvania Romania composed of three villages:
*Malnaș
*Malnaș-Băi / Málnásfürdő
* Valea Zălanului / Zalánpatak
In 2004 Bixad and Micfalău split from ...
**
Mereni
**
Micfalău
Micfalău ( hu, Mikóújfalu, Hungarian pronunciation: ) is a commune in Covasna County, Transylvania, Romania. It is composed of a single village, Micfalău.
History
It formed part of the Székely Land region of the historical Transylvania pr ...
**
Moacșa
**
Ojdula
**
Ozun
Ozun ( hu, Uzon, Hungarian pronunciation: ) is a commune in Covasna County, Transylvania, Romania composed of seven villages:
*Bicfalău / Bikfalva
*Lisnău / Lisznyó
*Lisnău-Vale / Lisznyópatak
*Lunca Ozunului / Vesszőstelep
*Măgheruș / Sep ...
**
Poian
**
Reci
Reci ( hu, Réty, Hungarian pronunciation: ) is a commune in Covasna County, Transylvania, Romania composed of four villages:
*Aninoasa / Egerpatak
*Bita / Bita
*Reci
*Saciova / Szacsva
It also included Comolău (''Komolló'') village until 196 ...
**
Sânzieni
Sânzieni ( hu, Kézdiszentlélek, Hungarian pronunciation: ) is a commune in Covasna County, Transylvania, Romania composed of four villages:
*Cașinu Mic / Kiskászon
*Petriceni / Kézdikővár
*Sânzieni / Kézdiszentlélek
*Valea Seacă / Ké ...
**
Sita Buzăului
Sita Buzăului ( hu, Szitabodza) is a commune in Covasna County, in the geographical region of Transylvania, Romania. It is composed of four villages: Crasna (''Bodzakraszna''), Merișor (''Almás''), Sita Buzăului and Zăbrătău (''Zabrató''). ...
**
Turia
**
Vâlcele
**
Valea Crișului
**
Valea Mare
**
Vârghiș
**
Zăbala
Zăbala ( hu, Zabola, ) is a commune in Covasna County, Romania. It lies in the Székely Land, an ethno-cultural region in eastern Transylvania.
Component villages
The commune comprises 4 villages:
Demographics
The commune has a Székely ...
**
Zagon
Zagon ( hu, Zágon, Hungarian pronunciation: ) is a commune in Covasna County, Transylvania, Romania composed of two villages: Păpăuți (''Papolc'') and Zagon.
The commune is located in the southeastern part of the county, on the border with ...
See also
*Former
Háromszék County
Háromszék (''Three Seats''; Romanian: ''Trei Scaune'') was an administrative county (comitatus) of the Kingdom of Hungary. Situated in south-eastern Transylvania, its territory is now in central Romania (in the counties of Covasna, Brașov and B ...
of the
Kingdom of Hungary
The Kingdom of Hungary was a monarchy in Central Europe that existed for nearly a millennium, from the Middle Ages into the 20th century. The Principality of Hungary emerged as a Christian kingdom upon the coronation of the first king Stephen ...
References
External links
www.covasna.ro– site of Covasna
{{Authority control
Counties of Romania
Geography of Transylvania
Hungarian communities in Romania
1968 establishments in Romania
States and territories established in 1968